Conventional machine tool coolant filtering systems include a dirty coolant tank having a filter medium, a clean coolant tank and pumping means for circulating the coolant. Although there is increased emphasis on recycling, conservation and waste disposal, conventional systems make no provision for segregating different material contaminants.
In one typical arrangement, a plurality of machine tools are connected to such a filtering system. When one or more of the machine tools is being used to machine a stock of material that is different from that of a material being machined by other machines connected to the system, the chips or contaminants collected on the same filter are mixed. Likewise, in another arrangement where one machine is used to machine stock of different materials, the filter collects and mixes the chips or contaminants.
In either arrangement, there is no provision for segregating different material chips or contaminants.